Window-shade roller



J. SHEPPARD.

WINDOW SHADE ROLLER. APPLICATION r1120 JAN-15,1919.

1 ,32 1,674.- Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

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A TTORNEYS UNITED STATE JOHN SHEPPARD, 0F WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA.

WIN OW-SHAD R L ER.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

Application filed January 15, 919. Se i l No. 271,247.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SHEPPARD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Winston-Salem, in the county of Forsythe and State of North Carolina, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Window-Shade Rollers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in window shade rollers, and it consists in the constructions, combinations and arrangements herein described and claimed.

The foremost object of my invention is to provide a shade roller that has friction locking mechanism for holding the shade at any position within the range of its movement, the friction locking mechanism in the present instance being concealed and so arranged that no pressure is brought to bear on the shade bracket.

Another object of the invention that arises out of the foregoing, is to provide friction locking mechanism for shade rollers, arranged in such a manner that the shade roller may be applied to the roller bracket without having to separate friction disks in order to get the shade in place.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a detail elevation of a part of a shade and the improved shade roller,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the end of the shade roller and illustrating the.

improved concealed friction mechanism,

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a slight modification,

Figs. 4 and 5 are cross sections on the lines H and 55, respectively, of Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of the'centering washers, r

Fig. 7 is an elevation of one of the friction washers,

Fig. 8 is a section on the order of Figs. 2 and 3 and illustrating a further slight modifi'cation,

Fig. 9 is a section of another modification wherein a special form of bracket is used in conjunction with a stationary friction washer to receive the thrust of the friction mechanism,

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the parts in Fig. 9 and illustrating the bracket referred to,

Fig. 11 is a detail view of the stationary friction washer, and

Fig. 12 is a section of a still further modification wherein the bracket receives the thrust.

The present invention constitutes an improvement on the subject matter of my c0- pending application filed October 15, 1918, Serial Number 258,165. By way of a brief review, the former shade roller embodied friction mechanism which exerted pressure directly on the shade bracket. In order to apply the shade roller with this form of the invention attached, it is necessary to separate the friction disks so that each bears against the opposite sides of the bracket.

The improved friction mechanism in the present application overcomes this somewhat objectionable feature. There are numerous forms of the invention as pictured in Figs. 2, 3, 8, and 9, but in all of these the fundamental principle is the same.

A ferrule or cap 1 is fastened to the end of the shade roller 2 by means of tacks 3 or any other suitable fastening means. In Fig. 2, the ferrule 1 extends beyond the end of the shade roller and thus provides a chamber 4 in which the friction spring 5 is housed and concealed.

The respective ends of the friction spring press against friction washers 6. The friction washer 6 at the left in Fig. 2 is cupped to make room for the flange 9 on the axle, and has an oblong opening 7 in which the axle fits. The friction washer 6 at the right has a similar opening but is flat instead of cupped.

Under ordinary circumstances the parts of the friction mechanism are so adjusted that the friction washer 6 at the left bears against the centering washer 10. In Fig. 8 the nut 9 on the threaded end 8 of the axle,

is intended to increase the tension of the spring 5. The nut is screwed against the outside friction washer 6 so that the cupped washer 6 is drawn away from the centering washer 10 by means of the axle and so the tension of the spring is increased.

In Fig. 2 the tension of the spring 5 is increased by pushing the ferrule 1 farther on the roller 2, and tacking it in a new place.

The recess 12 is deep enough to permit sufficient inward movement of the axle S. The cupped washer and shoulder at the right end always allows the axleto extend the same distance from the end of the ferrule.

The centering washer 10 at the left, has a round hole 11 which substantially coincides with the bore 12 in the end of the shade roller 2. The closed end of the fer rule has a similar round opening. The axle 8 turns in these openings and hasbearing therein, A centering washer 10 is located between the friction washer 6 and the end of the ferrule at the right, so as t thicker andstrengthen the end of the ferrule because of the friction thereagainst. Obviously if it be so desired, this centering washer 10 may be brazed or secured in any other suitable manner to the end of the ferrule, the ultimate purpose being simply to thicken the end. I l

A plurality of radial tangs 13 are used to secure the centering washer 10in the base of the bore in Fig. 3. The centering washer with the tangs is adapted more particularly to that form of the invention where the chamber 4: is formed in'the wooden end of the roller.

So far as described it can beplainly seen that when theaxle 8 which is flat as shown in Figs. and 5 is fitted'in the shade bracket 14, the parts 1 and 10 turn against the friction washers 6 "on the inside. The spring 5- presses these friction washers tightly against the turning parts, and so the shade roller 2 is heldvby friction at any desired place, When the tension of the spring is increased by means of the nut 9 all of the friction acts against the end of the ferrule. In Fig. 9 the principle carried out in the preceeding forms of the invention is somewhat departed from. Here the ferrule 1 consists simply of a tube with a movable head 15 which is pressed against the exposed friction washerfi by virtue of the tension of the spring 5 on the inside. In this form of the invention, as well as that shown in Fig.

12, the spring turns with the roller and so the friction and-centering washers 6 and 10 respectively are unnecessary.

In Fig. 9 a stationary friction washer 16 is interposed between the friction washer 6 mentioned and companion friction washer 6 that abuts the flange or shoulder 9 of the axle. The washer 16 has a tongue 17 that fits in either of two slots 18 in the bracket 14:.

The engagement of the tongue 17 with the bracket keepsthe washer from turning and so this washer becomes the friction member against which the friction washers (dare pressed. In this instance the axle 8 revolves in the bracket 14:, but the stationary friction washer does not revolve. Fig. 12 shows a still further departure.

Here the stationary friction Washe 16 is done away with, and the tension of the spring 5 is exerted directly against the shade bracket through the medium of the exposed friction washer 6 which flanks the shade bracket, and a movable head 15 which fits in the end of the tubular ferrule 1.

Briefly summing up the salient features of the invention, the improved shade roller embodies a friction mechanism that in its preferred form is totally concealed. The friction is exerted against the roller itself and not againstthe shade bracket, and so it is easy to remove and replace the shade roller without having to separate friction disks which of course has its disadvantages. One or two turns of the nut 9 will increase the tension of the spring to the desired point.

While the construction and arrangement cf the improved shade roller is that of a generally preferred form, obviously modifi ations and changes may be made without dc parting from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim 1 Friction locking mechanism for holding a shade roller in any desired position witl. out exerting pressure against the shade bracket, comprising a non-circular axle with stop means stationarily held in the shade bracket; a tension spring exerting pressure at bOlll ends on slidable axle carried parts certain of which abut the stop means to relieve tire shade bracket; and a shade roller arrangrd to support and completely conceal the friction mechanism and receive the thrust of both ends of the spring.

2. Frirtion locking mechanism for hold.- ing a shade roller in any desired position without exerting pressure against the shade bracket, comprising a non-circular axle stationarily held in the shade bracket; a ten sion spring exerting pressure at both ends on slidable carried parts of the axle, means for receiving the thrust of both ends of the spring, including a shade roller and ferrule concealing the friction mechanism, and means for increasing the tension of the spring by moving the axle to throw all of the spring pressure against one part of the shade roller.

3. Friction locking mechanism for holding a shade roller in any desired position without exerting pressure against the shade bracket, comprising an axle with non-circular parts, arranged to be stationarily held in the shade bracket; a pair of friction washers longitudinally slidable but not rotatable on the axle, a spring between the friction washers exterting pressure thereagainst at both ends, a shade roller arranged to provide complete concealment for the aforesaid parts of the friction mechanism and by this provision to present abutting parts for the respective friction washers to bear against, and means adjustable along the axle and operating against a part of the shade roller to draw one of the friction washers from its adjacent abutting part and throw the pressure of the spring against the remaining abutting part.

4. In combination with a shade bracket, a shade roller having a non-circular axle with an exposed end arranged to be fitted on the bracket and not to turn, a spring encircling the axle, a ferrule carried by the roller, inclosing the spring; and having a head defining the exposed end of the shade roller, and friction washers between the ends of the spring and contacting a part of the shade roller and the head of the ferrule respectively, the tension of the spring holding the shade roller at any position when rotated while the axle remains stationary.

A shade roller, comprising a ferrule with a head, a centering washer fixed on the substance of the shade roller, friction washers with non-circular openings, in contact with the centering washer and ferrule head respectively, a non-circular axle extending into the shade roller through the ferrule head and having bearing therein while held stationary and the shade roller turns, and a tension spring between the friction Washers to press them into the aforesaid contact.

6. In combination" with a shade bracket having a slot, a shade roller having a noncircular axle with an exposed end resting in the slot, a ferrule extending beyond the shade roller and having a movable head, friction washers slidable on but turning with the axle, a stationary friction washer between the friction washers, with a tongue entering the bracket slot, a centering washer fastened to the shade roller, a friction Washer contacting therewith and carried by the axle, and a tension spring between said washer and the movable head of the ferrule.

7. A shade roller; friction locking mechanism including a spring exerting pressure against friction washers in opposite directions, an axle carrying said washers slidably but not rotatably, and a ferrule concealing all of said locking mechanism excepting the outer extremity of the axle, said ferrule being located and secured in any desired position with respect to the shade roller and spring to adjust the tension of said spring accordingly.

8. Means for keeping the projecting end of the axle of friction shade roller locking mechanism exposed a uniform length from the end of an adjustable ferrule; comprising in combination, a shade roller with a recess in the end, an axle with one end in line with the recess and having a shoulder near the other end, a spring pressin a friction washer against the shoulder at one end and a second friction washer against a part of the shade roller at the other end, and a ferrule with a closed end fitted over the extremity of the axle leaving a uniform length exposed and being capable of adjustment to desired positions with respect to the shade roller to secure Various spring pressures, said axle then moving with the ferrule.

JOHN SHEPPARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Yatents, Washington, D. C. 

